Neighbours biggest threat to domestic bliss

A survey carried out by BLP Insurance, the housing warranty insurance provider, has found that a key concern among homeowners in the UK is outside influences such as neighbours and council works. One in four of UK homeowners surveyed worried about the potential impact of disruptive neighbours or the council granting planning permission to build something detrimental nearby.

Brian Kilroy, Business Development Manager at BLP Insurance, says: “It’s not just the risk of neighbours making a lot of noise or creating an eyesore but building work undertaken by them can potentially cause structural problems to your home or even reduce the value of your property quite considerably.

“If your neighbours are excavating or digging foundations near your property you are entitled to ask them to pay for a party wall surveyor to check that the work is carried out correctly and that any damage caused is put right.”

The survey also revealed that nearly half* of homeowners in the UK consider general maintenance such as fixing drains and roofs to be another top concern when it comes to worrying about their homes along with not having sufficient cash to carry out repairs when necessary.

Kilroy added: “At the end of the day, owning your own home will always be costly but there are a number of things that you can do to protect yourself in case things do go wrong. Very few people are aware of the precautions that you can take to protect your property after a conversion for both the structural and non-structural elements of the building.

“Taking out housing warranty insurance means that you can cover yourself and your investment should any defects occur further down the line. The policy belongs to the building, not the builder so you don’t have to prove who is to blame, just that there is a defect.”

There are lots of elements that should be considered at the start of a build project which can reduce the risk of defects occurring later on in the project. Taking the time to inspect the groundwork and investing in a good reputable architect will pay dividends in the long-run.